Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in the 2012 Australian Open final, winning 5–7, 6–4, 6–2, 6–7(5–7), 7–5. The match lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes, making it the longest Grand Slam men’s singles final by duration at the time and the longest match in Australian Open history.
The final was a defining chapter in the Djokovic–Nadal rivalry. Nadal won the opening set, but Djokovic gradually turned the match around through relentless returning, deep groundstrokes and extraordinary endurance. The deciding set ended at 1:37 a.m., after both players had spent nearly six hours competing in Melbourne heat.
The victory gave Djokovic his third consecutive major title, following Wimbledon and the US Open in 2011. It was also his third Australian Open championship and fifth Grand Slam title overall. Nadal’s defeat made him the first man in the Open Era to lose three consecutive major finals.
The common mix-up is the semifinal: Djokovic beat Andy Murray there, while Nadal defeated Roger Federer in the other semifinal. Nadal was Djokovic’s opponent only in the final.